Make do and Mend - Keeping going

[drmditch]

A thought , which I will probably be able to answer when I buy the NER books is: can one produce low roof stock from Hornby Clerestorys? New roof would be needed, possibly from brass sheet, as I tend to get curved plasticard roofs into a skew form.
Earlswood nob

Not sure about the 49' low roof stock. The mouldings don't match as well. Did look at this more yesterday. A better bet might be some of the 45' stock - which might require fewer donor vehicles. Don't know how long these survived though.

[ten ten]

Am wondering if the Ratio Bain Midland suburban sides could be used for NE arc roof stock.

[drmditch]

Am wondering if the Ratio Bain Midland suburban sides could be used for NE arc roof stock.

Have just checked this again, with afternoon tea! I had thought that all the elliptical roof carriages retained the rounded panelling, but apparently (according to 'North Eastern Record' Volume 2 there were two diagrams, 131 and 132 that had square cornered panelling.

Not sure yet how the Ratio mouldings could be made to fit. It will be worth investigating though. Thank you. I had dismissed this idea previously.

[drmditch]

After glazing 32 windows and 16 doors and making 16 grab handles, and trying to find appropriate light to take pictures, here is a (still unlettered and unnumbered) 52' Clerestory Third-Class coach.

It was interesting to find how much difference the light made to my dirty 'teak paint'.

Lest anyone think that I have spent too much time on this vehicle, here is the interior before fitting. (Suitably made from scrap card.)I hope you can see the pictures of Warkwarth, Runswick Bay, Barnard Castle, Fountains Abbey, and the advertisement for the Felix Hotel, Felixstowe. I haven't shown the other side, because this vehicle appears to have been retro-fitted with LNER ellipsoid mirrors.

You can see the interior - honest!

Now I need to work out a number. I think can indicate that it is a pre-grouping ex-North Eastern vehicle.Does anyone know of a source for an actual number?

[MikeTrice]

They are really effective. Might cause a run of second hand clerestories though. Many thanks for sharing.

[drmditch]

They are really effective. Might cause a run of second hand clerestories though. Many thanks for sharing.

Thank you. I hope they don't become too expensive or scarce though, because I now need to use the ones I have in stock to build some brake thirds to go with this one!
They were reserved to make Diagram 116 driving vans for an NER auto train!

[earlswood nob]

Afternoon all esp DRM
Your thread is making me itch to do some clerestory conversions. I should finish a couple of locos first to clear a space on my workbench.
The previous conversions that I did varied in length, but now I shall make them approx the same length.
Do you cut off the Hornby ends and replace them or merely fill the cutaway?
I have a number of clerestory in stock that I've picked up cheaply.
Its a research day as a couple of Yeadons arrived. I now have to find a J55 to suit the old BEC J52 that I've modified.
I'm getting addicted to them and will probably end up buying all those containng my model and future models.

Earlswood nob

[drmditch]

The previous conversions that I did varied in length, but now I shall make them approx the same length.
Do you cut off the Hornby ends and replace them or merely fill the cutaway?
Earlswood nob

As mentioned above, page 2 and 8, I replaced the ends entirely on the latest vehicle. The battening is quite different on the NER prototypes. It is also easier than removing and 'flattening' the Hornby ends, which I did on my earlier vehicles.

Since I'm quite pleased with the way this one has turned out my plans will have to change a little.
I'll do some more checking later, when I've recovered from a whole evening making grab handles, but at the moment I think the following are possible conversions from Hornby mouldings. (Below 'C' refers to the moulding with no brake end, and 'BT to the brake ended one.)

Diagram 14 - 52' Clerestory all third - as example above - requires on whole 'C' and one partial 'C'.
Diagram 48 - 45' Clerestory all third - only requires one 'C'. (I don't know how long these lasted in service). There will also be more 45' options.
Diagram 83 - 52' Clerestory third brake. Requires part of a 'C' and (possibly) parts of two 'BT's.
Diagram 101 - 52' Clerestory Corridor third (no vestibule) as for Diagram 14 but a little more carving.
Diagram 116 - 52' Clerestory Driving van. As for Diagram 83, but probably only requires one 'BT'. Will also require more fabrication.
Diagram 53 - 49' Low Roof Brake third. Requires two 'BT's. This will be something of an experiment, and will of course need a whole new roof.

To restate some things from earlier in this thread, the 'C' mouldings give a 6'4" compartment, which is equivalent to most of the 52' (and 45') third class compartments.
The narrow compartments in the 'BT' are only slightly different from the 5'11" compartments in the 49' stock. This may give several possibilities, but I haven't done anything with them yet. Since there are several in the scrap box, it will be interesting to experiment.

The Hornby mouldings are 2mm under width for the 8'6" of the 52' stock, but an exact match for the 8' of the 49' low roof vehicles.

There may well be more possibilities, but I'll explore these for the moment!

[earlswood nob]

Evenin' all esp DRM
Thanks David for all the info.
There's just one question. The Langley models etched NER driving trailer is a BC; it has five third class compartments and one first class. Is it a correct model?
According to my calculations, the Hornby BT with a compartment from the C inserted, gives slightly over 52ft, then it's cut out the guards doors from the duckets and place them at the driving end.
The only pic that I have of a Clerestory driving trailer has porthole windows, and is being pushed by a G6, which is what I want it for.
Thanks again
Earlswood nob

[drmditch]

Evenin' all esp DRM
Thanks David for all the info.
There's just one question. The Langley models etched NER driving trailer is a BC; it has five third class compartments and one first class. Is it a correct model?
According to my calculations, the Hornby BT with a compartment from the C inserted, gives slightly over 52ft, then it's cut out the guards doors from the duckets and place them at the driving end.
The only pic that I have of a Clerestory driving trailer has porthole windows, and is being pushed by a G6, which is what I want it for.
Thanks again
Earlswood nob

According to the NERA volumes, Diagram 116 has six compartments. As you say they are five third and one first, but they are all 6'4" (well according to the book 6' 4 and 3/4"). Perhaps the first class passengers had better seats - they didn't get any more space! The six compartments therefore match the Hornby 'C'. The 'BT compartments would be too narrow. The van section is marked as 9'11" long, and the driving compartment 2'9". (The driver was expected to stand!) A model would need the double doors and some of the van sides from a 'BT', but the driving compartment has side windows of a similar size to the 'C', and the panelling would need changing. The porthole driving windows in the end should present no problem. There is a rather nice picture of a similar van in K Hoole 'The North East Railway Book' Page 51.

I also have plans to build a G6 (well actually a nice green and brass BTP), but somehow they keep getting put off!

[earlswood nob]

Evenin' again
After a pleasant evening perusing Yeadon's and making copious notes for current and future models, I find heaps more information from DRM.
It's looking like I shall have to buy those NERA books on carriages.
I picked up a Nucast kit of a G6, which I didn't know existed, as part of a job lot, at auction. I was well pleased with the value of the lot, and when I opened the G6 box, it had an unused small Portescap inside.
A NER green G6 pushing a NER lake coach would be very appealing, but it wouldn't match the other models that I have, so it will have be a black G6 and a brown coach.
Thanks again for the info
Earlswood nob

[earlswood nob]

G'day all
On page 110 of Hoole's North Eastern Branch lines there is a pic of a D31 on the Eyemouth branch hauling clerestory stock.
The leading coach is a 3 compartment brake with the ducket at the end.
The GNR seemed to like the ducket at the end, but its the only pic I've found of a possible NER brake with an end ducket. The coach may be of NBR origin.
Has DRM or other viewers any ideas?
I shall have to buy the NERA publications on carriages.
Earlswood nob

[drmditch]

Diagram 26 for a Van Composite has the ducket at the end.
There may be others and I'll look through later.

I'll PM you a couple of pictures of one of my earlier models which is a 'representation' of a Diagram 26.
There is a poor picture on page 10 above. This still has the wrong bogies and the wrong ends - but the gas piping took ages to fit so I'm not about to throw it away!

Can't find the picture you mention. My copy of K Hoole's 'North Eastern Branch Lines' doesn't have page numbers!

[JASd17]

The NER Diagram 18 clerestory 3-compartment BT came in at least two forms. The originals had duckets at the end. Later versions had the Duckets inside the rear set of double doors. The arrangement of doors and windows differed in the van section too. As did the clerestory.

But they were all Diagram 18.

John

[earlswood nob]

Afternoon all
Thanks John for the info. I can continue with my end ducket pseudo NER clerestory tomorrow, as I shall be watching football tonight.
I found a thread on GCR conversions earlier and five clerestorys arrived this morning. I should be able to make a train of NER and GCR types.
Its amazing how much information I get from thes forums.
Earlswood nob